It’s been rumbling away for a few weeks, but today, Singapore Airlines launches another Low-Cost Carrier, called “Scoot”
Image – FlyScoot.com
Yes. That’s what I was thinking too.
Scheduled to begin operation in 2012, Scoot will operate Medium and Long Haul Services, aiming to “offer airfares up to 40% less of legacy carriers”.
Scoot will operate four Boeing 777-200’s initially – purchased from it’s parent Singapore Airlines, with no routes announced as yet that they’re going to serve, other than a vague “to Australia, China and places no low-fare airline has taken you before” , before in the second year considering Europe, Africa and the Middle East as expansion zones.
Plans are afoot to install 32 to 40 premium seats and about 370 economy seats in a 3-4-3 configuration. in these planes.
By operating 777-200’s, Scoot will be aiming to pile them all aboard, and milk the consumer for everything.
A move like this brings Singapore Airlines into the sights of Air Asia X, and you can be sure there will be a fare war soon enough.
This is by no means the first LCC that Singapore Airlines has – it owns a big lump of Tiger Airways. Singapore Airlines also owns Silk Air.
The bigger issue however will be how much Scoot will cannibalise it’s parent. Already it’s got Four 777-200’s. These aircraft have to have routes and landing permissions to head to, and it’s going to be interesting to see which markets Singapore Airlines considers to be “downgradeadable” for Scoot, and which it retains as premium routes.
One to watch most certainly.